I was thrilled when Walter reached out to me about the prospect of
presenting this additional Santana interview material in an exclusive
feature for the Guitar Channel. The piece is now complete and posted (via the link below), and it's a wonderful read. Santana not only provides insight on his collaborations with Mahavishnu Orchestra founder John McLaughlin, but on numerous other topics as well. Many thanks to Walter for providing this well written, fantastic feature for GC readers.

March 02, 2013

I interviewed author Walter Kolosky recently regarding the new eBook edition of his fantastic book Power, Passion and Beauty - The Story of the Legendary Mahavishnu Orchestra. The new 2013 eBook version adds lots of great content to the book's original release, including new interviews with Carlos Santana and Chick Corea (among others), an extra chapter, and much more. Follow the link below and you'll see - Nobody knows the history of Mahavishnu and its founder John McLaughlin like Walter does.

January 24, 2013

The 2013 Winter NAMM Show starts today, and once again The Guitar Channel will be there. I'm only attending for about two and a half days though, so I'll be scrambling to cram in as much guitar geekery as possible. I'll try to post some updates and pics from the show floor on Twitter and Facebook. Also look for a wrap-up piece and photo gallery after the show ends.

January 23, 2013

Jimmy Herring's latest album Subject To Change Without Notice (Abstract Logix) was without question one of the truely great albums of 2012. I had the pleasure of interviewing Jimmy at length recently about the new disc, and a variety of other topics as well such as being a bandleader versus a sideman, his gear, playing outside, even his days as a GIT student (where he had a certain classmate named Paul Gilbert). Read on...

January 01, 2013

Landau's first instrumental album since 1990's Tales From The Bulge is one of my favorite guitar records in many years, let alone this one. Awesome tones, dynamic playing, deep writing. A must-have for serious guitar geeks.

Stellar recording from the OHM-meets-Umphrey's McGee supergroup. Loaded with great riffs and playing. Everybody shines here, but the twin guitar attack of Chris Poland and Jake Cinninger is particularly awesome.

November 27, 2012

2013 marks the 40th anniversary of the tumultuous break-up of the
greatest band that ever was, the Mahavishnu Orchestra. The group,
founded by British guitarist John McLaughlin, was the first to fuse
jazz, rock and world music into critical and commercial success. In a
remarkable feat, its strictly instrumental albums were able to find
their way into the Top 20 of the Billboard rock charts. The Special
Edition eBook “Power, Passion and Beauty - The Story of the Legendary
Mahavishnu Orchestra” is the updated version of Walter Kolosky’s
critically acclaimed work first published in 2006. Many have called that
book “The Bible” of the Mahavishnu Orchestra and the jazz-rock fusion
movement. The Special Edition eBook is brand new to those who have not
read the original printed version of this riveting story. For those that
have, however, many new anecdotes, insights, opinions, and an extra
chapter updating the story of Mahavishnu have been added. The list of
those exclusively sharing their views and memories of Mahavishnu for the
original book was staggering. Herbie Hancock, Joe Zawinul, Pat Metheny,
Sir George Martin, Jeff Beck, all of the original Mahavishnu members
and almost 150 other music giants helped tell the Mahavishnu tale. This
time around, Carlos Santana, Chick Corea, Steve Howe, Carmine Appice,
and many other noted artists, producers, audio engineers and spiritual
travelers add to the legend that is the Mahavishnu Orchestra. The
Special Edition eBook “Power, Passion and Beauty” also has dedicated web
pages that will offer more rare images, news and information.

SOME EARLY COMMENTS AND REVIEWS:

“Thank you so much for doing this book!” - Carlos Santana

“This (“Power, Passion and Beauty”) is a great book!” - Chick Corea

“I
was riveted by “Power, Passion and Beauty,” even though I knew the
incendiary and brief history of the band, probably because it was so
inspiring to hear how everyone who ever heard or was associated with the
band was changed forever, not just by the power and originality of the
music, but as if by something more spiritually fueled. This music was
life-changing for all of us who heard it, and for all music which
followed and continues to emerge from Mahavishnu's long shadow. Walter
is to be eternally thanked for stoking the Flame.” - Christopher
O’Riley, noted musician and host of America’s National Public Radio and
Television’s “From The Top.”

"Walter Kolosky is
clearly the foremost authority on the most important and powerful
jazz-rock group of all time, the Mahavishnu Orchestra. With its
enthralling interviews and insight, Kolosky's "Power, Passion and
Beauty" details the storied history and influence of this epic band in a
book that's as fun to read as it is fascinating. "Power, Passion and
Beauty" is a must-have for music fans seeking a deeper understanding of
the origins of the jazz-rock movement, and the greatest band the genre
has ever known." - Rich Murray, The Guitar Channel

“Walter
Kolosky has made the definitive tome on Mahavishnu Orchestra even more
expansive and engaging. With fresh perspectives, sharper details, and
new interviews, this eBook is a must-have for avid Mahavishnu and John
McLaughlin fans. For those of you that were there, the book provides
great insight into your fond memories. For those who know the band
solely through recordings, this book gets you as close as you can to the
alchemy that took place onstage and in the studio.” - Anil Prasad,
Innerviews (The web’s first and longest-running music magazine)

(November 19, 2012) – Widely considered one of the world’s
all time greatest guitarists and known amongst his peers as a great
collaborator, Eric Clapton announced today a major U.S. tour culminating
in his fourth Crossroads Guitar Festival presented by Chase. The
Festival, which has become legendary in its own right for hosting
performances and impromptu collaborations from the world’s most
legendary guitar players, will take place April 12-13 for the first time
at New York City’s famed Madison Square Garden. See full listing below
of artists performing.

Clapton and his band will visit more than a dozen cities across the
U.S. beginning March 14, 2013 (see itinerary below). The tour will end
with the two-night Festival where Clapton will gather the past, present
and future of guitar music onto one stage for an unparalleled musical
event. All profits from the Festival will benefit The Crossroads Centre
in Antigua, a treatment and education facility founded by Clapton for
chemically dependent persons. The Festival is presented by Chase.

Since its inception, Clapton’s vision for the Crossroads Guitar
Festival has been to create an event where his friends and
contemporaries can have fun and perform together for the benefit of a
good cause. This year’s Festival will feature two-nights of musical
performances with once-in-a-lifetime guitar collaborations. Known as
pioneers in their field, the roster of artists spans old and new. The
audience can expect unrivaled entertainment, brilliant guitar work,
surprise guests and impromptu jams that are the hallmark of these
performers.

The first Crossroads Guitar Festival, in June 2004 at the Cotton Bowl
in Dallas, was an unprecedented collection of guitar icons from blues,
rock and contemporary music. The sold-out show was chronicled in a
2-disc DVD that has since gone on to become one of the world’s
top-selling music DVD’s. The Crossroads Guitar Festival 2007 and 2010
were the second and third such concerts by Clapton and were staged at
Toyota Park in Chicago. Both Festival were filmed for DVDs and met
similar acclaim and achieved multi-platinum status. This will be the
Festival’s first-ever visit to New York and Madison Square Garden.

“The Crossroads Festival is the realization of a dream for me, to
gather a group of amazingly talented musicians to perform on one stage,”
said Clapton. “The Crossroads performers are all musicians I admire and
respect.”

In addition to the concerts, the “Guitar Center Road to Crossroads
Exhibition” will be featured on the Terrace level @ Madison Square
Garden and will excite fans with an incredible guitar-centric
celebration of past Crossroads Guitar Festivals. This exhibition will
feature the “Legends Guitar Walk”, with some of the most valuable
guitars in the history of Rock and Blues, including historic guitars
from Guitar Center’s Legends Collection featuring Eric Clapton’s two
most famous Fender Stratocasters®, BLACKIE® and ‘Brownie,’ Gibson ES-335
as well as Stevie Ray Vaughan’s ‘Lenny’ Fender Stratocaster®, plus
selections from Guitar Center, The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and
Experience Music Project. Additionally, Fender, Gibson, Ernie Ball and
Martin will host interactive exhibits where guitar lovers can plug in
and play new products and classic favorites, while all visitors will be
able to peruse memorabilia and watch archival footage of
once-in-a-lifetime performances from prior Crossroads festivals on video
walls throughout the exhibition. The “Road to Crossroads Exhibition”
will open at 6:30 p.m. on Friday and 6:00 p.m. Saturday, and is free to
all ticket holders.

Tickets for the Crossroads Guitar Festival Presented By Chase
will be offered as an advance sale to Chase customers beginning Monday,
November 26 at 12pm EST via www.ticketmaster.com through Thursday, November 29 at 10pm.

General Public On-Sale will begin Friday, November 30 at 12pm EST.

Tickets for the Clapton 2013 U.S. Tour will go on-sale
beginning November 30, 2012. Please check local venue listings for more
detailed information.

Clapton has assembled an impressive band for the 2013 U.S. dates
which will consist of long-time touring partners: Doyle Bramhall II
(guitar), Steve Jordan (drums), Chris Stainton (piano and keyboards),
and Willie Weeks (bass), along with newcomers Paul Carrack (organ and
keyboards) and Greg Leisz (pedal steel guitar). Michelle John and Sharon
White will join the touring band again as backing vocalists. The tour
will also feature special guests, The Wallflowers. Please check local
listings for ticketing information.

The Crossroads Centre, AntiguaFounded in
1998, Crossroads Centre, Antigua was created to provide treatment and
education to chemically dependent persons, those with other compulsive
addictive behaviors, their families and their significant others.
Treatment is provided through residential care, family and aftercare
programs. The pathway to recovery is founded on the movement toward a
change in lifestyle. Crossroads Centre, Antigua also operates a 16-bed
halfway house in Antigua called the Bevon House (exclusively for Antigua
residents) and facilitates a school-based education series, Breaking
the Cycle, in all Antiguan schools. The Crossroads Centre has recently
expanded its programme to offer transitional living for men, in line
with the Crossroads Centre’s philosophy on recovery, at The Sanctuary in
Delray Beach, Florida, for those who have completed a residential
treatment programme.www.crossroadsantigua.org

About Chase

Chase is the U.S. consumer and commercial banking business of
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM), a leading global financial
services firm with assets of $2.3 trillion and operations in more than
60 countries. Chase serves more than 50 million consumers and small
businesses through more than 5,500 bank branches, 17,500 ATMs, credit
cards, mortgage offices, and online and mobile banking as well as
through relationships with auto dealerships. More information about
Chase is available at www.chase.com.

Guitarist Guthrie Govan, bassist Bryan Beller, and drummer Marco Minnemann are captured live at Alvas Showroom in San Pedro, CA

LOS ANGELES, CA (November 8, 2012)
– The rock/fusion power trio The Aristocrats – featuring Guthrie Govan
on guitar, Bryan Beller on bass, and Marco Minnemann on drums – will
release BOING, We’ll Do It Live! The Aristocrats At Alvas Showroom
on December 10, 2012. The release will be in two formats: A
standard-edition, 14-track, 2CD album, and a Deluxe EditionDVD + 2CD
package featuring two additional bonus tracks, bonus audio from
soundcheck, additional candid show footage, and bonus interviews with
each band member. The 6-camera video was shot in high definition, and
the 5.1 surround audio mix was done by Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree. A
2-channel stereo mix is also available.

Formed practically by demand after a single raucously received set at
the Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA in January of 2011, the trio tracked
their debut album The Aristocrats [BOING!] just four months later, and
released it that September to universal acclaim. But the core energy of
the band from the start was their preternatural live chemistry, which
became even more explosive during a year’s worth of worldwide touring.

“We’re all definitely proud of the studio album,” says bassist Beller,
“but we were just getting to know each other when we cut it. Now that
we’ve traveled the world together, we really get each other musically
and personally. Honestly, we spend a lot of time making each other laugh
to the point of tears. I think that really comes through live, the
sense that we’re friends walking a high wire together musically, but
also that, sometimes, we just choose to be extremely silly. Somehow it
all works.”

BOING, We’ll Do It Live!
was captured over two nights in June of 2012 at Alvas Showroom in San
Pedro,CA, and features the entire Aristocrats repertoire, plus select
material from the trio’s individual back catalogs, and a brand new,
previously unreleased song, “Dance Of The Aristocrats.”

Awesome, raw record with killer playing from all involved. Love the stripped-down trio arrangements of fusion classics such as "Actual Proof" and "Mysterious Traveller." A must-have for Scott Henderson fans.

Another great release from the godfather of fusion and his crack quartet, the 4th Dimension. Filled with deep improvisation and band interplay. Not to mention, McLaughlin's ripping runs on "Riff Raff" prove that he is still one of the greatest pickers ever.

New three-disc release from keyboardist David Garfield's classic west coast jazz band. Includes new music, plus demos and live tracks. Features Michael Landau, Tim Pierce, James Harrah, Vinnie Colaiuta, Jimmy Johnson, Jeff Porcaro, and many others. Loaded with great playing.